Dimmer



T. J. KEHOE.

DIMMER.

APPLICATION FILED 'MAY 23, 1917.

1,390,359. PatentedSpt. 13,1921.

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THOMAS J. KEHOE, or TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TH w nters-OVERLA D CQM- PANY, or TOLEDO, orrro.

- DIMMER.

T all 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. KEI-IOE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dimmers, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to automobile headlights and more particularly to the dimmers used to temporarily out off a portion of the light projected from said headlight. The object of this invention is to provide a new and simplified dimmer construction for automobile headlights, which may be readily and conveniently operated by the driver of an automobile. A

further object is to provide a screen ad-- justable around the light source 'to intercept the light passing to the reflector. A further object is to provide a dimmer which will cut off the reflected rays-of the headlight only.

Further objects, and objects relating to economics of manufacture and details of construction, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

A structure constituting a preferredenr bodiment of my invention, is illustrated in Y the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, in which:

- Figure I shows the front end of an automobile having headlights embodying my invcntion Fig. II is an enlarged, sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. I showing the dimmer in non-dimming position;

Fig. III shows the manner in which dimmers, are mounted on a common operating rod' Fig. IV shows the means for actuating the dimmer shaft and is taken on the-line .IV-IV of Fig. III;

Fig. V is a fragmentary view inside elevation showing the dimmer 1n dimm ng positlon with reference to the light bulb;

Fig. VI is a front elevation of the dimmer:

screen;

' In the drawings, similar reference charac-- ters refer to similarparts throughout the Fig. VII is a detail sectional view taken on 1917. Serial No. 170,473. i

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Sept. 13, 1921. Application filed May 23,

several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section line.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, the automobile 1 is shown provided with headlights 2. These headlights may be of any ordinary form, the one shown having an outer shell 8 of parabolic form, and

an inner shell 9, of similar shape, which forms the reflector. Axially positioned wlthln the casing is an electric light bulb socket 3, which is adapted to receive an elecend of the spiral is bent away at 6 in the direction of'the diameter of the spiral, The

screen is positioned within the reflector 9, i

and normally lies in sucha position that the plane ofits greatest area is angularly disposed with relation to the axis of the lamp 4.- and the central aperture of the-coil is adjacent the outer end of the light bulb. The

reflector is slotted at 10 to permit of pivotal motion of the screen.

The operating mechanism comprises a rock shaft 7 extending between the head lights'and having its ends entering the outer casings of the headlights. The end 6 of I each spiral. 5 is rigidly connected to one end of the rock shaft Radially extending from rock shaft!- are two arms 11 and'12.

The arm 11 is'connected at its end to a spring 13, the other end of which is fixed in any suitable manner The arm 12, which extendsfrom shaft 7 at an angle to the arm 11', is pivotally connected to an operating rod 14;, which extends through the clashboard and is providedwi'tha suitable handle 15, the rod being notched at 16 to engage the edgeo'fthe-openingtliroughthe V dash and hold the screens in dimming position.

' As shown in Fig. II, the normal non-dimming position of the screen is free of the lamp and it is held in this position through the tension of the spring 13, it being apparent, however, that the resiliency of the 0011 strip 5 also provides inherent means therein for normally retaining the dimmer in retracted non-dimming position. When the operating rod 14 is pulled inwardly, the arm 12 rocks the shaft 7 against the tension of the spring 13, which causes the resilient spiral 5 to engage the light bulb i and the outer spirals of the screen pass over the side of the bulb. As the innen'spirals have a diameter less than that of the light bulb, they are held stationary. The result is a cone: shaped screen extending around the sides of the bulb, the end of the bulb being left er;- posed. As the greater part of the'projecl'ed light comes from the rays reflected from the walls of the reflector when the sides of the bulbs are screened and such rays are intercepted, the intensity of the light is materally diminished. In the modification shown in Fig. VIII, the central aperture is covered by means of wire, gauze 17 which serves to further dim lights.

Considering Fig. II of the drawings, it will beseen that in its normal non-dimming position the spiral screen 5 occupies but very little space and lies entirely in front of the lamp and in the central part of the casing, so that it does not intercept or interfere with any of the rays of reflected light coming from the reflector. lVhen the screen is brought to the dimming position, shown in Fig; V, the inner spiral being engaged by the end of the lamp and held, and the other spirals telescoping one over the other and embracing the sides of the lamp, cut off substantially all the light which would otherwise pass from the light source to the reflector, so that practically all of the reflected light is eliminated and nothing is left but the direct rays from the light source, which are not of suflicient intensity to be objectionable.

I am aware that the embodiment of my invention shown and described is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention and, therefore, I desire to claim the same broadly. I have found, however, that this particular embodiment is desirable from many standpoints, and therefore, I desire to claim the same specifically as well as broadly, as will appear from the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reflector, a light source within said reflector, and a resilient spiral strip adapted to be extended over said light source to screen lateral rays therefrom.

2. A dimmer for headlights comprising a ribbon of metal coiled to form a, spiral, the inner end of said spiral terminating at a distance from the center thereof andformof said spiral being bent outwardly to form a supporting member, and means for actuating said spiral.

A headlight comprising a casing, a lamp within said casing, and dimming means within said casing adapted to be forced against the lateral portions of said lamp and limited. in its movement thereby.

4. In a headlight having a reflector, and an electric light bulb within said reflector, the combimition therewith of a dimmer of resilient material adapted to normally assume a contracted state due tothe inherent resiliency of the material thereofand adapted to be expanded around said bulb to screen lateral rays of light therefrom.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a headlight comprising a reflector and a light bulb therein, and a resilient metallic strip wound in a fiat spiralv and normally disposed in front of said light bulb the inner convolution thereof being of less diameter than said light bulb, said spiv rally. wound strip being movable to aposition embracing said light bulb.

(i. In a device of theclass described, the combination of a headlight comprising an outer shell. a reflector and a light bulb disposed within said reflector, a rock shaft enlering said outer shell, means for rocking said shaft, and a resilient metallic stripsecured to said rock shaft and having its free end spirally wound and normally lying in a plane in front of said light bulb whereby when said shaft is rocked the spirally wound strip will embrace the sides of said light bulb. I

7. In a headlight, the combination of a light source, a relatively rigid light transmitting member surrounding said light source, a collapsible dimmer movable bodily toward and away from said light transni'it ting member and having a portion thereof adapted to be engaged by said member during movement into dimming position.

8. A dimmer for a headlight having av lamp, said dimmer comprising an expansible coiled spring, one end of which is adapted to be held by the lamp and the other moved relative thereto to spread said spring around said lamp.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reflecton'a light source in said reflector, and a resilient metallic spiral normally supported in front of said light source and adapted to be expanded over said light source to screen lateral rays therefrom.

10. A dimmer for electric headlights comprising a coil of resilient material adapted to embrace a light to serve as a dimmer therefor, and means for moving said coil into dimming position. 1

11. In a headlight, the combination of a 8; Wilt-ml pening, and the outerend reflector, an electric light bulb within said reflector, and a metallic spiral dimmer having a' central opening therein and adjustable by expansion around said bulb to screen the lateral rays from said light.

12. In combination, a lightbulb, a dimmer therefor comprising a resilient spirally wound member having a contracted and inoperative position out of contact with said bulb, means for putting said member under tension by expanding it in contact with said bulb, said member tending to return to its retracted inoperative position due to its own resiliency, and means to assist in the return of said member to inoperative position.

13. In a headlight construction having a light source and a reflector, the combination therewith of a dimmer including a spirally wound strip adapted to surround said light source and intercept the rays of light from said source to said reflector, one end of said strip being extendedthrough a slot in the reflector, and a pivotal. support for said end.

An automobile headlight dimmer comprising a spiral strip of material provided With an extension arm forming a support therefor, and means adapted to swing said arm to extend the spiral around an electric light bulb.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

THOMAS J. KEHOE. 

